Boinker Surestriker

Background

Born 25 Alafrin, Year 258. Father: Bonger Surestriker, b. 25 Ranor, Y192, ???. Mother: Gildi Goldsmelter, b. 18 Nienor, ???. Paternal Grandfather: Banger Surestriker, b. ???. Foster father (gnome): Gruman Brindlespar, b. 30 Ras, Y201; foster mother: Generva Wangsprocket Brindlespar, b. 1 Calenas. Foster Sister: Trittia Brindlesprocket Coppercog (m. 308 to Orminter Coppercog): b. 22 Lindor, Y268

Boinker grew up in the Tinewale Mountains (Gathol-u-Zirik in Dwarven, meaning Fortress of Spikes/Spires) east of Reins with his parents. They were part of a small clanhold called Gemmendelve where they mined gems. There was an attack by orcs allied with frost giants on Calenas 8, Year 268. Boinker was taken captive along with his mother. He tried to protect his mother and was whipped across the face leaving a scar that runs along his right jaw line. His father pursued the orcs. The raiders split up into two parties and divided the prisoners. His father a handful of friends pursued them and overtook the group Boinker was in. He was unconscious at the time as a result of beatings he had received. When he regained his senses, he was in Reins. His father had taken him there and placed him in the care of a gnomish friend, Gruman Brindlespar and his wife, Generva, who had become parents of their only child, Trittia the month before. Bonger had left the next day to go in search of Gildi and had not been seen or heard from since. So, Boinker grew up for all purposes as the older brother of Trittia. He apprenticed to Gruman who was a master Jeweler. Boinker showed deftness and steadiness of hand and a quick aptitude. He learned to work with various metals and showed a natural talent for cutting gems. By the time he was eighteen, he was a journeyman gem cutter. He also became Gruman's able right hand who was sent to collect delinquent payments and/or repossess pieces or "execute" on the debtor's property when necessary. He developed a good eye for appraising items customers left to secure short-term loans. He was equally gifted at these activities as he was his craft.

Gruman had other business associates who often required Boinker's services as well, both with regard to cutting gems and helping to settle accounts. He was paid well for his services and developed a taste for fine liqueurs, fine cigars and fine women. All in all, he maintained a very comfortable standard of living. He got himself a nice flat inside the wall, wore fine clothing, was in regular attendance at cultural events (always in the company of lovely female companions) and was extended a generous line at certain establishments where one could enjoy games of chance. That is, he enjoyed such a lifestyle up until two years ago.

He ran afoul of a certain guild that offered wealthy "patrons" protection when he "repossessed" some jewels for a merchant who it turned out did not have a legitimate claim to them. The Guild learned that the dealer had the jewels and sent one of its representatives to recover them from him. The man claimed that he had no knowledge of the heist and had nothing to do with it other than thinking to make a quick profit when Boinker offered to sell them to him cheap. Gruman learned that the Guild was sending enforcers to pay his foster son a visit. He was able to warn him and Boinker was forced to leave Reins. Since that time he has been travelling about Tera'fir.

Story

Boinker was sitting at the table. He was wearing a short chain shirt under his tunic he had acquired while working as a caravan guard with a merchant friend of his father's that he had looked up in Mystlar. Besides his travelling gear, he wore a nice midnight blue cloak, fastened with a silver pin. He wore heavy twill pants that were a lighter, worn shade of blue. A thick belt girded his waist. From it were hung both a dagger and a short sword, the hilt looking well used. The gnome waitress reminded him of his sister, Trittia. Particularly, her violet colored eyes and dimples. He felt a pang of homesickness. He noticed that a group of rather uncouth men were getting fresh with her. Finally, when one of the rowdies pulled the girl onto his lap and groped her breasts, the tavern bouncer (a tough looking man that proportionate to his what looked to be six foot height was as solidly built as a dwarf) waded in and grabbed the fellow by the collar. He cursed the burly man and protested amidst a string of vindictives that they were only trying to have a little fun and meant no harm. He told the bouncer he better watch his back if he knew what was good for him. His equally unsavory looking comrades followed him through the door he was tossed out of.

The girl, sat there and sobbed. Boinker produced a fine silk handkerchief from a pouch and offered it to her, trying to comfort her saying, "Here now, miss, don't cry. Those fellows are gone. They won't be bothering you any more." She looked up and seeing the sincerity in his eyes, attempted a weak smile and took it. She daubed at her eyes while continuing to sniffle. "Thank you, sir, you are most kind." "Nah, you remind me of my sis," he said. "That's all. Someone should teach those no goods a lesson." After a moment, she stood and thanked him again, offering the handkerchief back. He waved his hand and said, "Please, keep it." She went on about clearing some of the tables and he finished the after dinner cognac he had ordered. He was not able to enjoy such fine drink on a regular basis as he once had but he had just been paid for a job and he always treated himself after getting paid. He took a long draw on his cigar and then blew smoke into his glass, then inhaled it out again. He savored the drink a bit longer until he noticed the young girl had taken her apron off and was apparently getting ready to leave.

For some reason, maybe just that he felt protective of her because of the likeness she bore to Trittia or perhaps because of some sixth sense he had, he finished his glass and quickly headed for the door and left ahead of her. His keen eyes thought he noticed some movement in the shadows of the third building down the street to the right. He noted there was an alley just past it. He crossed the street and then turned and walked the opposite direction. As soon as he came to the side of the building, he turned to his right and made his way as quickly as he could without making noise around the building so as to circle around behind the building where he thought he had spotted the movement. A moment later, the little gnome lass came out the front door of the establishment. It was cool out and there was a sharp breeze. She stood for a moment beneath the sign while she pulled a shawl over her head and wrapped it around her shoulders. The sign read The Dancing Sprite. She then turned to her right and began walking on the board sidewalk down the street. Her shoes made small clomping sounds as she went.

Ahead of her, a man stepped out of the shadows. She saw him and recognized him as one of the ruffians. She started to head across the street and two more stepped forward, just barely visible in the edge of the shadows. She stopped to turn and the man who had grabbed her stepped out from the shadow of the building next to the alley and grinned showing his brown stained teeth, minus one upper one that was missing in the front. "Well, now, looky who we 'ave 'ere," he said as he and the others all chuckled menacingly. "If it ain't that pretty lit-ul waitress from the Sprite. An she's all alone, too, fellas!" That brought another round of laughs. Her eyes were wide with fright and she trembled. "Now there's no need fer ya to shake like that, we don't mean ta 'urt ya ? as long as you co-operate all nice like, tha'tis. Heh. Why, by the time wuhr done wi' ya, y'll prolly be askin' us fer more." Again more lascivious laughter. But, something was odd about the sound coming from the farther of the two men in the alley. His laugh seemed to be more of a gurgling sound and he disappeared back into the shadow. His companion turned to see what was wrong; but, he had been peering into the lit street and the moment it took him to squint into the darkness proved fatal. A dagger sunk with a shhhhthunnk into his chest. He grunted from the impact. He stared down at it with an odd look of surprise then back up to see Boinker step forward, calmly reach out and suddenly drive the blade into his chest to the hilt. With a wrench of his hand, he tore the blade free and tossed it ahead of him on the ground. The dead man crumpled on the street.

The loudmouth who had been doing all the talking grabbed the girl who was paralyzed with fright and held a knife to her throat. The other thug who was following behind her from across the street held a loaded crossbow. "Don't ya come any closer or the girl dies," the leader said. "Bolt, if'n 'e makes a move, shoot 'im."

Boinker calmly slid his light crossbow from his shoulder and leveled it at the speaker. "Mister, you have got til the count of 5 to let her go."

"The assailant said, "Or what? I'm the one holdin' a knife ta 'er throat. You drop your bow and weapons and leave now an I'll let ya live. Otherwise, both you'n her die," the man said with an evil grin.

"One," said Boinker.

"I ain't kiddin' dwarf. This is yer last chance."

"Two." The man pushed the point of the knife into the girls neck now, a trickle of blood ran down from it. The other no-good now raised his crossbow and aimed at Boinker.

"Three." Twanng. The man was a lot taller than the girl. Boinker's bolt sank into his left eye socket. His hand on the knife at her throat loosened while his other hand clenched her arm so tightly that she cried out.

Another twang echoed the first one. Boinker felt fire erupt in his left biceps as the other man's shot found it's mark. Before the dead leader's knees began to buckle, Boinker spun, dropped the crossbow and drew his short sword as he charged the remaining man. Bolt was only able to attempt to block Boinker's attack with his crossbow. Though he did deflect the blade, he was not quick enough to avoid the dwarf's kick to his groin. He partially bent his right shoulder down from the pain which was all the opening Boinker needed to stab his short sword into the man's exposed shoulder. He dropped the crossbow from his unfeeling right fingers. He pleaded, "Don't kill me. It were all Gerp's idea. He made us do it. He's dead now, so I ain't no threat to nobody anymore. Boinker lowered his short sword and shook his head with a look of disgust at the man. He turned toward the girl. The thug went for a dagger on his belt. But, the rogue had anticipated the man's action and was already spinning. Too slow, the man tried to block the dwarf's sweep with the short sword with the dagger. Instead the blade took his hand off right above the wrist. However, before the shocked fellow could even fully realize what had happened, Boinker drove the blade into his belly. As he withdrew the short sword, the man tried to staunch his wound with his stub. Then he fell dead.

The gem cutter cleaned his blade on the leader's shirt, retrieved his dagger and cleaned it and then picked up the crossbow. The girl finally came to her senses but could not manage any words as her mouth moved speechlessly. Boinker gave her a reassuring hug and then turned and gathered up the dead men's weapons and money pouches. The leader had on a nice ring, which he also took. There were shouts from the direction of the tavern as the fight ended. By the time he had looted the corpses, a crowd had gathered around. The tavernkeeper was there with a cleaver in his hand and the bouncer held a great club. Others had various weapons as well. The girl stepped between them and the dwarf and shook her head. Finally finding her voice, she said, "He saved me. They was going to take me and have there way with me, and he stopped them." The crowd lowered their weapons. "Someone fetch a healer," shouted the Dancing Sprite's proprietor. "An you, you come with me," he said to Boinker, "I got a bottle of brandy I been savin' fer a special occasion an I'm going to open it fer you." The dwarf rogue smiled and followed. He knew that it was going to be awhile before he was fully recovered and that didn't seem at all bad.